Deploying IBM DB2 inside a Solaris 10 Container

1. Creating the ZFS filesystem:
# zfs create rpool/export/zones

2. Configuring the DB2 zone:
# zonecfg -z db2
db2: No such zone configured
Use 'create' to begin configuring a new zone.
zonecfg:db2> create
zonecfg:db2> set zonepath=/export/zones/db2
zonecfg:db2> set autoboot=true
zonecfg:db2> add net
zonecfg:db2:net> set address=192.168.1.100/24
zonecfg:db2:net> set physical=iwk0
zonecfg:db2:net> end
zonecfg:db2> verify
zonecfg:db2> commit
zonecfg:db2> exit

3. Installing the DB2 zone:
# zoneadm -z db2 install
A ZFS file system has been created for this zone.
Preparing to install zone .
Creating list of files to copy from the global zone.
Copying <9648> files to the zone.
Initializing zone product registry.
Determining zone package initialization order.
Preparing to initialize <1319> packages on the zone.
Initialized <1319> packages on zone.
Zone is initialized.
Installation of these packages generated errors:
Installation of these packages generated warnings:
The file contains a log of the zone installation.

4. Listing the zones:
# zoneadm list -cv
ID NAME STATUS PATH BRAND IP
0 global running / native shared
- db2 installed /export/zones/db2 native shared

5. Booting the DB2 zone:
# zoneadm -z db2 boot

6. Logging into the zone:
# zlogin -C db2
[Connected to zone 'db2' console]

Configure the initial system (locale, etc).

7. Install IBM DB2 Database 9:
db2# gunzip db2_v9fp1_ese_solaris_x64.tar.gz
db2# tar xvf db2_v9fp1_ese_solaris_x64.tar
db2# cd ese/disk1/
db2# ./db2_install


Default directory for installation of products - /opt/IBM/db2/V9.1

***********************************************************
Do you want to choose a different directory to install [yes/no] ?
no


Specify one or more of the following keywords,
separated by spaces, to install DB2 products.

CLIENT
RTCL
ESE

Enter "help" to redisplay product names.

Enter "quit" to exit.

***********************************************************
CLIENT RTCL ESE
DB2 installation is being initialized.

Total number of tasks to be performed: 41
Total estimated time for all tasks to be performed: 915

Task #1 start
Description: Checking license agreement acceptance
Estimated time 1 second(s)
Task #1 end

Task #2 start
Description: GSKit support
Estimated time 19 second(s)
...

8. Add a regular user account to your DB2 zone:

db2# mkdir -p /export/home/cmihai
db2# useradd -s /usr/bin/zsh -d /export/home/cmihai cmihai
db2# chown cmihai /export/home/cmihai
db2# passwd cmihai
New Password:
Re-enter new Password:
passwd: password successfully changed for cmihai
db2# su - cmihai
db2% cd /opt/IBM/db2/V9.1/bin

Check locale(1) and export LC_ALL=C if needed or db2 will complain:

db2% ./db2fs
couldn't set locale correctly

Make sure you read the install log in /tmp.

Here's a tip though: if you can, use the Graphical installer (ssh -X and run db2setup instead of db2_install).
All you need now is add various tuning, limitations and zfs quotas, etc.

If you need to start over, there's always ZFS snapshots or db2_deinstall.

Either way, if you need to create an instance:

# ./db2icrt -s wse -u db2fenc1 db2inst1
Sun Microsystems Inc. SunOS 5.11 snv_90 January 2008
Sun Microsystems Inc. SunOS 5.11 snv_90 January 2008
DBI1070I Program db2icrt completed successfully.

You can now use db2 to create a database and connect to it.

# db2
db2=> CREATE DATABASE test
db2 => CONNECT TO test
Database Connection Information

Database server = DB2/SUN64 9.1.1
SQL authorization ID = DB2INST1
Local database alias = TEST

db2 => CREATE TABLE clients (name char(25), surname char(50))
DB20000I The SQL command completed successfully.
db2 => LIST TABLES

Table/View Schema Type Creation time
------------------------------- --------------- ----- --------------------------
CLIENTS DB2INST1 T 2008-06-11-05.39.58.167896

1 record(s) selected.

db2 => INSERT INTO clients VALUES ('Some','Guy')
DB20000I The SQL command completed successfully.
db2 => SELECT * FROM clients

NAME SURNAME
------------------------- --------------------------------------------------
Some Guy

1 record(s) selected.